Temporal expression of transforming growth factor-beta2 and myostatin mRNA during embryonic myogenesis in Indian broilers

TGF-beta2 and myostatin, the members of TGF family, act through both autocrine and paracrine mechanisms to regulate the growth and differentiation at various developmental stages in chicken. The kinetics and expression profile of these two growth factors were investigated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, during the myogenesis of Indian broiler chickens. Total RNA was isolated from whole embryos on each of embryonic days (E) 0-6 (n=3 per day) and from the biceps femoris muscle at E7-E18 (n=3 per day). The expression of TGF-beta2 was noticed on E2 that remained at the same level until E6. In biceps femoris muscle, higher level of TGF-beta2 expression was observed during E7-E12, which decreased gradually thereafter. These findings suggested that TGF-beta2 might be a regulatory factor participating in the myogenesis of chicken embryos. Initial myostatin expression was noticed on E1, even before the myogenic lineage is established in embryo. This finding suggested an additional role of myostatin in early chicken embryo development, other than myogenesis. Furthermore, myostatin expression was significantly higher on E3 as compared to earlier studies, where initial higher level was observed at E2, suggesting the differential expression of myostatin among breeds. Higher and almost static myostatin expression was noticed in biceps femoris muscle during the entire period of myogenesis (E7-E18). In the present study, the ontogeny of myostatin expression coincided with myogenesis of chicken. Therefore, it may be hypothesized that myostatin is not only a major determinant of muscle mass, but also involved in early embryogenesis in chickens.     

Differential expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha and gamma gene in various chicken tissues

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are the members of superfamily of nuclear hormone receptors. A great number of studies in rodent and human have shown that PPARs were involved in the lipids metabolism. The goal of the current study was to investigate the expression pattern of PPAR genes in various tissues of chicken. The tissue samples (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, intestine, brain, breast muscle and adipose) were collected from six Arber Acres broilers (8 weeks old, male and female birds are half and half). Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Northern blot were used to characterize the expression of PPAR-alpha and PPAR-gamma genes in the above tissues. By semi-quantitative RT-PCR, the results showed the expression level of PPAR-alpha gene was higher in brain, lung, kidney, heart and intestine, medium in stomach, liver and adipose than in spleen, and it did not express in breast muscle. The expression level of PPAR-gamma gene was higher in adipose, medium in brain and kidney than in spleen, heart, lung, stomach and intestine, but it did not express in liver and breast muscle. Northern blot results showed that PPAR-alpha gene expressed in heart, liver, kidney and stomach, and the intensity of hybridization signal was the stronger in liver and kidney than in other tissues, however, PPAR-gamma gene only expressed in adipose and kidney tissues. The results of this study showed the profile of PPAR gene expression in the chicken was similar to that in rodent, human and pig. However the expression profile of chicken also have its own specific trait, i.e. compared with mammals, PPAR-alpha gene can not be detected in skeletal muscle and PPAR-gamma gene can be stronger expressed in kidney tissues. This work will provide some basic data for the PPAR genes expression and lipids metabolism of birds.     

Study on Development of Broiler Liver Lipid Droplet during Embryonic Period

This study was aimed to explore the developmental change of lipid droplet in liver of chicken embryos.120 fertilized eggs were incubated, and 6 embryos were selected randomly every day and their livers were removed for measuring the formation and development of lipid droplets from E7 to E21 during the incubation.The methods of frozen section and Sudan Ⅲ staining were used. The results showed that:①Lipid droplets emerged early on the 9th day of chicken embryos incubation (E9). The quantities and sizes of lipid droplets became more and larger with the increasing of chicken embryos age. ②Quantities of lipid droplets in every hepatic lobule decreased from central veins to the margin of hepatic lobule along hepatic cords before E18, while more lipid droplets distributed at the margin of the liver than that in the center of liver after E18. ③The quantities and sizes of hepatic lipid droplets were significant difference during the three stage of E9-E14, E15-E17 and E18-E21 (P<0.05). The average sizes of hepatic lipid droplets were 3.2, 5.7 and 10.8 μm, respectively, and their average numbers were 67,327 and 397 n/mm², respectively. In conclusion, the quantities and sizes of hepatic lipid droplets became more and larger with the increasing of chicken embryos age.     

肉鸡鸡胚肝脏中脂滴的发育研究

为了探索鸡胚肝脏脂滴的发育规律,选取120枚受精蛋,分别在孵化的第7~21天（E7~E21）每天随机选取6枚蛋,收集鸡胚,采集鸡胚肝脏,采用冰冻切片、苏丹Ⅲ染色观察鸡胚肝脏脂滴的形成和发育特点。结果发现：①鸡胚发育到E9胚龄,肝细胞内开始出现脂滴,且随着胚龄增加,脂滴的数量不断增多,脂滴的大小不断增大;②E18胚龄以前,肝脏脂滴的分布从中央静脉开始沿肝索到肝小叶边缘数量逐渐减少,E18胚龄以后,肝脏边缘脂滴数量较肝脏中央的多;③肝脏脂滴的发育分为E9~E14、E15~E17和E18~E21 3个阶段,而且后一个阶段脂滴的数量和体积均显著大于前一个阶段（P<0.05）,脂滴的平均大小在E9~E14、E15~E17和E18~E21 3个阶段分别为3.2、5.7和10.8 μm,平均数量分别为67、327、397个/mm²。以上结果表明,随着鸡胚的发育,肝细胞内脂滴数量增加、体积变大。     

鸡冷诱导RNA结合蛋白基因序列分析及组织表达

为研究鸡冷诱导RNA结合蛋白(CIRP)基因的结构特征和组织定量分布情况,根据GenBank中原鸡CIRP基因(NM-001031347)的编码区序列自行设计引物,从健康雏鸡脾脏中扩增青脚麻羽鸡CIRP基因的编码区(CDS)并进行生物信息学分析;设计引物建立实时荧光定量RT-PCR,检测CIRP mRNA在雏鸡各组织器官中的分布及相对表达水平。结果显示,鸡CIRP基因CDS区全长573bp,编码190个氨基酸,其氨基端包含一个RNA结合域,羧基端富含RGG重复序列,推导的多肽链羧基端比鸭、斑胸草雀及哺乳动物要多18个氨基酸;CIRP基因在鸡各被检组织器官中均有表达,相对表达水平由低到高分别为法氏囊、肺脏、胰腺、胸腺、脾脏、睾丸、盲肠扁桃体、心脏、脑、肾脏、哈德氏腺、肝脏。本研究为进一步探讨鸡CIRP基因的遗传进化及其在病原感染中的作用提供了参考。     

肌抑素的研究进展

由于长期以来对优良肉品质的孜孜以求,人们发现了抑制肌原性细胞的增殖和分化,最终表现为肌肉组织和肌肉量减少的肌抑素。本文介绍了肌抑素基因的结构、不同动物肌抑素基因的差异、肌抑素基因表达、肌抑素在体内的分布以及不同时间的表达和肌抑素基因的生物学功能,并提出了其应用前景和可能研究的方向。     

Gustducin is expressed in the taste buds of the chicken

We investigated the expression of gustducin in chicken taste buds using molecular biological, biochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. Expression of a gustducin‐like sequence was detected by RT‐PCR in the tissues containing taste buds, and corresponded to the predicted gustducin gene in the chicken. Expression of this sequence was not detected in the brain, heart, liver, pancreas, intestine, kidney and testis of the chicken. The expressed sequence had a high specificity for oral tissues that contained taste buds. These results suggest that the detected sequence was the chicken gustducin gene. Next, we generated a polyclonal antiserum against the chicken gustducin protein to observe its localization in the oral tissues. The results revealed that the chicken gustducin was specifically expressed in the taste buds. It is suggested that the chicken has a gustatory system mediated by gustducin, and chicken gustducin is a reliable marker for taste buds or taste cells. This is the first molecular biological, biochemical and immunohistochemical demonstration of the presence of gustducin in the chicken.     

鸡miR-10b-5p生物信息学及组织表达分析

【目的】 通过对苏禽3号肉鸡的miR-10b-5p进行靶基因预测、生物信息学分析及其在鸡不同生长时期组织表达变化规律研究,探索其在鸡肌肉生长发育中作用。【方法】 通过文献和miRBase检索脊椎动物的miR-10b-5p序列,利用Ensembl数据库查询并确定miR-10b-5p在基因组中的位置,根据前体序列构建系统进化树;使用miRDB、microT和TargetScan网站预测miR-10b-5p靶基因,并对靶基因进行GO功能和KEGG通路分析,进而揭示miR-10b-5p的基因功能。采用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测不同生长时期鸡miR-10b-5p组织表达量,探索其在大脑、小脑、垂体、下丘脑、胸肌、腿肌、卵巢、心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺脏和肾脏组织中表达变化。【结果】 miRBase检索共获得59种动物59条miR-10b-5p序列,即每一种动物都只有一种miR-10b-5p形式。基因定位分析发现,鸡miR-10b-5p位于2号染色体上的HOX基因家族中。常见物种miR-10b-5p成熟序列比对分析结果表明,miR-10b-5p的成熟序列相似性较高,物种间较为保守。系统进化树分析发现,miR-10b在哺乳类中的灵长目、啮齿目、鸟类、鱼类中各自先聚为一支,然后再共同聚为一类,这表明miR-10b在进化过程中是保守的。靶基因预测发现,miR-10b-5p共有300个靶基因。GO功能分析发现,靶基因主要富集到染色质组装和基因表达的转录后调控、组蛋白甲基转移酶复合物、转录因子复合物等功能。KEGG通路分析表明,靶基因主要富集到Wnt和p53信号通路上。组织表达分析显示,miR-10b-5p在检测的各个组织中均有表达;3日龄时大脑、小脑、垂体、胸肌和腿肌中miR-10b-5p表达量显著高于心脏、下丘脑、肾脏和肺脏等组织(P<0.05);90日龄时,垂体、胸肌、腿肌和大脑中miR-10b-5p表达量显著高于其他组织(P<0.05)。与3日龄雏鸡相比,90日龄时垂体、胸肌和腿肌中miR-10b-5p表达量均显著上升(P<0.05)。【结论】 鸡miR-10b-5p是组织广泛表达的miRNA,miR-10b在进化过程中是保守的,其可能通过Wnt及p53信号通路调控肌肉细胞增殖分化,进而调控鸡肌肉生长发育。     

成纤维细胞生长因子21及其受体1、2在小鼠毛囊形成期的定位和表达

本试验旨在通过研究成纤维细胞生长因子21(fibroblast growth factor 21,FGF21)及其受体FGFR1、FGFR2在胚胎小鼠毛囊形成阶段中的定位与表达,从而探究其在小鼠毛囊形成中的作用。试验采用免疫组织化学、实时荧光定量PCR及Western blotting方法研究FGF21、FGFR1、FGFR2蛋白和mRNA在胚胎期13～18d(E13～E18)小鼠皮肤中的表达。结果显示:(1)FGF21蛋白在E13主要表达于表层细胞、基底层细胞及结缔组织中,E14表达于表层细胞和基板,E15在毛芽中有微量表达,E16、E17表达于毛钉中,E18主要表达于未成熟毛囊细胞;FGFR1和FGFR2蛋白在E13～E18于表层细胞、基底层、基板、毛芽、毛钉、未成熟毛囊和结缔组织中均有表达。(2)实时荧光定量PCR及Western blotting结果显示:FGF21mRNA和蛋白在E14相对表达量最高;FGFR1mRNA及蛋白在E16～E17相对表达量较高;FGFR2mRNA及蛋白的相对表达量在E13至E18均呈上升趋势,在E18相对表达量最高。结果提示:在小鼠胚胎期毛囊形成和发育过程中,FGF21可能在诱导毛囊启动过程中发挥一定的作用;FGFR1可能促进毛钉形成;FGFR2可能在毛囊形成和成熟中发挥重要作用。     

m6A甲基化在鸡肌肉生长发育中的表达研究

试验旨在研究RNA m6A修饰相关基因去甲基化酶Alk B同源蛋白5（Alk B homologue 5，ALKBH5）、去甲基化酶肥胖相关蛋白（fat mass and obesity-associated protein，FTO）、甲基转移酶样蛋白3（methyltransferase like 3，METTL3）、甲基转移酶样蛋白14（methyltransferase like 14，METTL14）和成肾细胞瘤1-结合蛋白（Wilms’tumor 1-associating protein，WTAP）在鸡骨骼肌发育过程中的表达，分析其与骨骼肌m6A甲基化水平的相关性。首先，利用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测m6A甲基化相关基因在金茅花鸡12（E12）、14（E14）、16（E16）、18（E18）胚龄和1日龄腿肌和胸肌组织中mRNA表达水平，以及其在鸡成肌细胞50%、100%增殖期和1、2、3、4、5 d分化期的mRNA表达水平；随后，利用m6A甲基化试剂盒检测金茅花鸡E12和1日龄腿肌和胸肌组织中m6A甲基化修饰水平，与m6A甲基化相关基因表达水平进行相关性分析。结果显示，m6A去甲基化基因ALKBH5和FTO mRNA表达水平在骨骼肌发育过程中显著上调（P<0.05），即在E12、E14低表达，E16、E18逐渐上调，1日龄达到最高。m6A甲基化写入基因METTL14、METTL3和WTAP mRNA表达水平在E12、E14、E16逐渐上升，E18下降，随后至1日龄表达量回升。在细胞增殖过程中，ALKBH5、FTO、METTL14、METTL3和WTAP基因表达均上调；在细胞分化过程中ALKBH5和FTO基因表达水平显著上调（P<0.05），在分化第5天达到最高。METTL14、METTL3和WTAP基因mRNA表达水平在细胞诱导分化的1、2、3、4 d表达量呈下降趋势，而在诱导分化的第5天有所回升。甲基化水平检测结果显示，腿肌和胸肌m6A甲基化水平变化趋势一致，均在胚胎发育过程中显著下降（P<0.05），至1日龄达到最低。相关性分析结果显示，鸡骨骼肌RNA m6A甲基化水平与m6A去甲基化修饰基因ALKBH5、FTO mRNA表达水平呈显著负相关（P<0.05）。综合以上试验结果，推测m6A甲基化修饰与鸡骨骼肌发育相关，而去甲基化基因ALKBH5、FTO可能通过调控RNA m6A甲基化水平，影响鸡骨骼肌发育。本研究结果为进一步研究m6A甲基化修饰调控鸡骨骼肌生长发育的功能和分子机制提供理论依据。     

Molecular Cloning,Characterization, and Expression Analysis of Cathepsin A in the Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus

Abstract

Cathepsin A (CTSA) is serine carboxypeptidase, an important protease in the lysosome. In this study, the full complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence of CTSA in Chinese giant salamanders Andrias davidianus was cloned, and its sequence features were analyzed. Tissue expression patterns of CTSA in healthy and Aeromonas hydrophila-infected salamanders were also investigated. The full cDNA sequence of salamander CTSA was 1,620 base pairs in length, encoding 472 amino acids. Salamander CTSA shared high sequence identities with other vertebrates’ CTSAs, ranging from 62.7% to 68.9%. In healthy salamanders, CTSA was highly expressed in spleen, followed by brain, intestine, and stomach. After A. hydrophila infection, salamander CTSA was significantly upregulated in lung, heart, muscle, and kidney; was downregulated in liver, spleen, and intestine; and exhibited no significant changes in stomach and skin, indicating that salamander CTSA might play defense roles in multiple tissues during bacterial infection. These results provide a solid basis for further study of the immune function of amphibian CTSA.

Received September 18, 2016; accepted June 18, 2017 Published online October 9, 2017     

Effect of dipeptide on intestinal peptide transporter 1 gene expression: An evaluation using primary cultured chicken intestinal epithelial cells

Peptide transporter 1 (PepT1) is a transporter responsible for absorbing dipeptide and tripeptide in enterocytes and is upregulated by dipeptide in mammals. It has not been certain whether intestinal PepT1 expression is responsive to dipeptides in chickens because of the lack of in vitro study using the cultured enterocytes. This study established a primary culture model of chicken intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in two-dimensional monolayer culture using collagen gel by which the response of chicken PepT1 gene expression to dipeptide stimuli was evaluated. The cultured chicken IECs showed the epithelial-like morphology attached in a patch-manner and exhibited positive expression of cytokeratin and epithelial cadherin, specific marker proteins of epithelial cells. Moreover, the chicken IECs exhibited the gene expression of intestinal cell type-specific marker, villin1, mucin 2, and chromogranin A, suggesting that the cultured IECs were composed of enterocytes as well as goblet and enteroendocrine cells. PepT1 gene expression was significantly upregulated by synthetic dipeptide, glycyl-l-glutamine, in the cultured IECs. From the results, we herein suggested that dipeptide is a factor upregulating PepT1 gene expression in chicken IECs.     

山地乌骨鸡不同组织中CAPN 1基因表达的发育性变化

本试验采用SYBR GreenⅠ荧光定量法,首次测定了四川山地乌骨鸡1d、14d、28d、42d、56d、70d、84d的胸肌、腿肌、肝脏、心、脑组织中钙蛋白酶1CAPN1基因的相对表达量。结果表明：CAPN1基因在鸡体内普遍存在,CAPN1基因在肌肉组织中的表达量与鸡肌肉组织的生长发育呈相似的变化规律。     

Myostatin在地塞米松致肌原纤维损伤中的作用研究

为阐明Myostatin在肌原纤维损伤中的作用,并探讨提高畜禽肉产(质)量或控制人类肌肉萎缩的方法,本试验以小鼠为模式动物,采用高剂量地塞米松构建了严重应激模型,研究生理剂量胰岛素对地塞米松致肌原纤维损伤的影响及其与Myostatin基因表达的关系,以及Myostatin基因免疫对地塞米松致肌原纤维损伤的干预作用.结果表明:地塞米松诱导Myostatin基因表达上调及严重的肌原纤维损伤和线粒体肿胀,而胰岛素注射明显减弱了这些效应;Myostatin基因免疫明显抑制了地塞米松对肌原纤维和线粒体的损伤作用.试验结果提示,Myostatin是参与肌原纤维降解的一个关键因子,该作用可能与其刺激了线粒体的功能有关.     

鸭MyoG基因编码区的克隆及其在鸭心肌组织发育中的表达研究

肌细胞生成素(myogenin,MyoG)在胚胎发育中发挥作用,并能与在心脏发育过程中起重要作用的MEF2基因家族协同促进肌肉的分化,而其在心肌发育中的作用却鲜有报道。为研究其在胚胎心肌组织发育过程中的作用,本研究扩增了鸭MyoG基因CDS序列,并采用实时荧光定量PCR法检测了MyoG在鸭E10、E14、E18、E22、E27 d及出生后1周雏鸭(P7 d)心肌组织中共6个阶段的表达变化。基因扩增得到鸭MyoG基因CDS序列共684bp,编码227个氨基酸,预测其含有碱性螺旋-环-螺旋(bHLH)结构域。结果表明:MyoG在鸭E10 d中的表达量最高,显著高于E14、E18、E22和E27 d(P0.05);E14 d与E18 d,E22 d和E27 d之间的表达差异不显著(P0.05);MyoG在鸭出壳前心肌组织中的表达量整体呈现下降趋势,出生后1周,表达量又明显上升,与E22 d和E27 d差异显著(P0.05)。MyoG在鸭心肌组织的发育中起作用,其机理可能是通过MyoG的bHLH结构域直接或以MEF2基因家族介导间接实现对心脏发育的调控。     

鸡myostatin基因的研究进展

肌肉生长抑制素(myostatin)为转化生长因子TGF-beta超家族成员之一。随着研究的深入,发现鸡与哺乳动物myostatin基因的功能特性存在一定差异。本文主要综述了鸡myostatin基因在鸡骨骼肌生长发育和胚胎发生中的表达和功能等方面的研究进展。同时,对鸡作为肌肉相关研究领域模式动物的优势,肉鸡、蛋鸡间骨骼肌巨大生长差异与myostatin基因的可能关系也进行了简单讨论。     

雏鹅新型病毒性肠炎病毒强毒在感染鸭胚体内形态发生学和宿主细胞超微病理学研究

将雏鹅新型病毒性肠炎病毒（NGVEV）强毒CH株经尿囊腔途径人工感染10日龄鸭胚,应用透射电镜和超薄切片技术研究病毒在宿主细胞内的形态发生及各组织器官的超微结构变化。结果表明：感染后不同时间剖杀及死亡鸭胚的尿囊膜、肠、心、肝、脑和肌胃组织中,均观察到60～70nm的病毒粒子。病毒粒子主要通过与细胞膜融合而进入细胞质内,然后在细胞核内进行复制和装配。最后病毒粒子通过核膜和细胞膜破裂的方式被释放。病毒侵害的主要靶细胞包括鸭胚尿囊膜上皮细胞、肠上皮细胞、肠道平滑肌细胞、成纤维细胞、肝细胞、肌胃黏膜上皮细胞和心肌细胞等,表现为细胞核内外膜间隙严重扩张,细胞质整体结构严重空化。病毒侵害的主要靶细胞器包括粗面内质网和线粒体,表现为粗面内质网扩张呈囊状;尿囊膜上皮细胞的线粒体出现固缩和异常聚集变化,而其他组织细胞的线粒体均表现为肿胀和嵴断裂、消失。本试验还发现NGVEV可诱导宿主细胞发生严重的细胞凋亡现象,表现为细胞皱缩,胞核内染色质密度增高,核固缩成一个或数个团块凝聚在核膜周边,胞质浓缩深染并形成凋亡小体。